The State Department for Correctional Services is ramping up efforts to modernize prison industries and enterprises, a move aimed at equipping inmates with modern skills to reduce recidivism and enhance their reintegration into society.
Principal Secretary Dr. Salome Beacco announced the new initiatives during a tour of correctional facilities in Kericho, including the Kericho Probation Station, Kericho Main Prison, and Kericho Medium and Women Prisons.
Dr. Beacco highlighted that these reforms are aligned with the President’s Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda, which calls for field inspections to ensure that the goals outlined in performance contracts are being met.
“These visits are part of the President’s clarion call, which requires us to go to the field to inspect prisons and to find out whether the Performance Contracts that we signed are being implemented,” she said.
As part of the efforts to decongest prisons, the PS directed that a list of inmates serving sentences of less than five years be forwarded to her office for case review.
This is seen as a critical step in addressing overcrowding and ensuring that prison resources are used efficiently.
Dr. Beacco also praised the professionalism of probation officers at the Kericho Probation Station and urged them to maintain high standards of service. “Be the best in what you do. Let’s show gratitude for the opportunity by going beyond the call of duty,” she implored.
In her address to prison officers at the Kericho Medium Prison, Dr. Beacco emphasized the importance of teamwork and urged officers to adopt a “one government” approach to enhance collaboration between the Probation and Aftercare Service (PACS) and the Kenya Prisons Service (KPS). “I am urging you to adopt the one government approach and work hand in hand with KPS to improve service delivery,” she stated.
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Dr. Beacco also took time to speak directly to inmates, encouraging them to use their time in prison constructively. “Use your time in prison to reflect on your life and chart a new course. Be prisoners of hope and don’t give up. Your dreams are valid,” she told the inmates.
Despite acknowledging the tight fiscal space, Dr. Beacco assured that the government is committed to improving correctional facilities across the country.
She was accompanied by KPS Deputy Commissioner General Nicholas Maswai, Secretary of PACS Christine Obondi, and other senior officials from the State Department for Correctional Services.
The tour and the announcements reflect the government’s ongoing commitment to reforming Kenya’s correctional system, ensuring that it not only serves as a place of confinement but also as a platform for rehabilitation and positive change.
